The following media round-up on international, legal and foreign policy issues from around the Balkans for the period from 27 June 2024 - 4 July 2024.
Guernica 37 will provide weekly media updates with a focus on Bosnia and Hercegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Should you wish to contribute or submit a media summary, opinion piece or blog, please send to Ned Vucijak at nenadv@guernica37.com for consideration.
Serbia - 4 July 2024
A Serbian court has ordered custody for a Kosovo Albanian suspected of committing war crimes against Yugoslav Army troops during the Kosovo war - the fourth Kosovo Albanian arrested on war crime charges in the country this year; see here.
Croatia - 4 July 2024
Comment - Nationalists in Serbia and Montenegro have manipulated memories of the Jasenovac concentration camp and the genocidal crimes committed by the World War II fascist Ustasa movement to stimulate hatred for Croats in general – but that’s no excuse for downplaying atrocities; see here.
Bulgaria - 3 July 2024
Failure of GERB’s designated cabinet to muster enough support in parliament pushes country closer to yet another election – the seventh in just three years; see here.
Serbia - 3 July 2024
Tens of thousands of Telegram users in Serbia are sharing images of women ‘undressed’ by artificial intelligence. The law offers victims no means of fighting back; see here.
Bulgaria/North Macedonia - 3 July 2024
President Rumen Radev commented on the suggestion by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski of the Republic of North Macedonia to renegotiate the Friendship and Good Neighbour Agreement with Bulgaria, emphasizing that international treaties must be respected by all successive governments once signed see here.
Balkans - 2 July 2024
European Commission announced the sixth investment package under the EU's Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans that is expected to mobilise €1.2 billion in investments; see here.
Serbia - 2 July 2024
Igor Despotovic is suspected of a 'terrorist association' with a man who was shot dead after firing a crossbow at a Serbian gendarme guarding the Israeli embassy in Belgrade on Saturday; see here.
Kosovo - 1 July 2024
The law in Kosovo recognises the ‘right to be forgotten’, but most people in the country don’t know they can seek the removal of their personal data from the internet; see here.
Kosovo - 29 June 2024
The US Assistant Secretary of State, James O'Brien, said that Serbia has promised that Millan Radoicic will face the law regarding the September events in Banjska; see here.
Kosovo - 28 June 2024
The Kosovo government on June 28 banned use of the social media network TikTok in state institutions amid growing global concerns over its potential vulnerability to cyber threats; see here.
Greece - 28 June 2024
EU border agents are failing to report rights violations committed against migrants and refugees on the Albanian-Greek border, according to an investigation by BIRN; see here.
Serbia - 28 June 2024
Thousands of demonstrators gathered on June 28 in western Serbia to protest the opening of a lithium mining project that has been stalled for years over environmental concerns; see here.